Sensor Technology Driving New Quality Productivity

The industrial sector is one of the most widely used and mature downstream markets for sensor applications. The application of sensors in industry is significant for improving production efficiency, ensuring operational safety, optimizing product quality, and achieving sustainable development. On production lines, sensors can monitor the operating status of machinery in real-time, and once an abnormal situation is detected, they can issue timely alarms to prevent production accidents. At the same time, sensors can collect various data during the production process, helping enterprises achieve refined management and improve production efficiency and product quality.

“Aosong Electronics’ application solutions in the industrial field are comprehensive and in-depth. We assist in the intelligent and automated upgrades of the industrial sector by providing high-performance sensors and related solutions,” said Ma Pengfei, Innovation Development Manager at Aosong Electronics. “Aosong Electronics monitors and measures the supply and use of similar gases or liquids like electricity, gas, water, oil, and heat through sensors such as gas/liquid flow, vacuum gauges, pressure, and temperature and humidity, collecting real-time data and uploading it to a data center management platform for analysis and processing, achieving intelligent collaboration of massive industrial physical devices, and realizing automated measurement and control of the working environment of equipment such as pressure and temperature, as well as predictive maintenance and automation of mechanical production equipment.”

▪︎ Ma Pengfei, Innovation Development Manager at Aosong Electronics

ADI also launched its own solutions at this exhibition, including the OtoSense Smart Motor Sensor (SMS), precision signal conditioning AFE for pressure sensors, magnetic sensors, and products related to iToF technology. Among them, ADI’s OtoSense Smart Motor Sensor (SMS) combines various sensor technologies and AI algorithms to reduce industrial equipment downtime and help customers achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement in operations.

“SMS is a new attempt for us, combining existing semiconductor hardware and software technologies with corresponding algorithms to bring some AI functional solutions to the industry. By using two 1002 sensors, one accelerometer, a magnetic sensor, and a temperature sensor attached to the side of the motor, SMS will upload some characteristic values to the cloud based on motor vibrations. In the cloud, there are very mature AI algorithms that will extract some characteristic values of the motor and analyze its operating status, helping customers predict nine different motor issues, thus improving overall operational efficiency,” said Cai Zhenyu, Industrial Market Director of ADI China.

▪︎ Cai Zhenyu, Industrial Market Director of ADI China

Fiber optic technology is widely applied in the communication field, from fiber optic trunk transmission to metropolitan networks, and fiber to the home, fiber optic technology can be seen everywhere. Another application direction of fiber optic technology is in the field of light sensing. The reason why fiber optic sensing technology is not as widely applied as communication is due to the complexity of application scenarios and the disruptive, fragmented nature of light sensing technology iterations.

However, it is worth noting that fiber optic sensing has many advantages: it is passive, does not generate heat, is intrinsically safe and insulated, is heat resistant, passively senses without interaction with the measured object; it has no electromagnetic radiation, is resistant to electromagnetic interference, making it suitable for complex electromagnetic environments; the sensing unit is small in size and can be embedded within structures; it allows for multi-point reuse or quasi-distributed measurement, has long signal transmission distances; and features high measurement accuracy, short response time, and high bandwidth.

Shangning Zhiguan’s General Manager Shao Hongfeng introduced: “Shangning Zhiguan has very core grating technology in China. Compared to traditional fiber optic grating products, our products are of high strength. The company’s downstream applications mainly target the new energy field, widely applied in wind turbine blade strain and defect monitoring, temperature detection of energy storage facilities, and power environment monitoring in data centers.”

▪︎ Shao Hongfeng, General Manager of Shangning Zhiguan

The digitalization of the industrial sector relies on data, which is sourced from these surrounding sensors. Sensors are a core hardware entry point that convert physical quantities into digital data. These digital signals are then transmitted to the cloud, where algorithms analyze the data to make decisions, enabling the intelligentization of terminal devices. TE’s vibration sensors also employ a combination of hardware and software to help customers enhance equipment operation efficiency.

BW Tan, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for TE’s Sensor Division in the Asia-Pacific region, stated: “Vibration sensors can be used in almost every device; any device with a rotating shaft will have vibrations, which can lead to wear and aging. TE’s vibration sensors, such as the 8911 series, not only collect vibration data but also incorporate edge computing and analysis, combining hardware and software to early predict the wear status months or years in advance. Long-term accumulated data can establish the characteristics of the equipment for predictive maintenance.”

▪︎ BW Tan, General Manager of Sales and Marketing for TE’s Sensor Division in the Asia-Pacific region

Hongji Technology’s sensor technology engineer Bi Yanfeng presented a 24-hour wireless multi-point temperature collection and processing solution for industrial production equipment at this exhibition. This solution includes a wireless temperature probe at the front end, which transmits data to a data logger via wireless signals, and the data logger connects to a PC for data visualization software or to the cloud. The solution emphasizes wireless convenience, small size, long battery life, and good stability, and can be applied in fields such as bearing, gear, electric motors, and outdoor environment monitoring.

▪︎ Hongji Technology’s Wireless Multi-point Temperature Detection System

The market prospects for industrial sensors are very broad and promising. With the in-depth application of technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and big data, the importance of sensors in industrial automation and intelligent manufacturing is becoming increasingly prominent. As key components for information acquisition, sensors play a crucial role in enhancing industrial production efficiency, optimizing product quality, and achieving intelligent management.

The automotive field is another important downstream market for sensor applications. Continuous advancements in sensor technology and reductions in costs have made their applications in the automotive field increasingly widespread, especially with the rise of intelligent connected vehicles, where sensors play an increasingly important role in enhancing vehicle performance and safety.

Construction machinery operates in harsh environments, which places high demands on the stability and reliability of components. Metal-based MEMS pressure sensors are suitable for applications requiring high reliability, high stability, and harsh environmental conditions, particularly in the fields of construction machinery and automotive.

Wang Weizhong, Executive Vice President of Qitai Sensors, stated: “Metal-based pressure sensors have good elasticity and impact resistance due to their metal material base, making them widely used in fields that require high impact resistance and reliability. Typical application areas include construction machinery and automatic ESP and ESC applications in vehicles, as well as high-pressure common rail applications for diesel engines. Currently, these fields are largely dominated by foreign products, so as a pressure sensor with independent intellectual property rights, there is significant growth potential for us. Therefore, Qitai Sensors will continue to make efforts in this field and will continue to penetrate the construction machinery and automotive sectors.”

▪︎ Wang Weizhong, Executive Vice President of Qitai Sensors

LiDAR is a critical component of the perception system for autonomous vehicles, providing precise three-dimensional environmental information that greatly enhances vehicle perception capabilities and safety. With continuous technological advancements and cost reductions, LiDAR has been widely applied in new energy vehicles.

Lin Shaofeng, Technical Director of Sanyou Optoelectronics, stated: “Currently, mainstream LiDARs have two paths: 1550 nanometers and 905 nanometers. Sanyou Optoelectronics focuses on 1550 nanometer LiDAR, and the company has formed a complete industrial chain layout from chips, devices, modules to systems. Sanyou Optoelectronics is the first domestic company to mass-produce LiDAR devices for vehicles, and our products have entered the supply chain of NIO cars, and we are actively collaborating with other automakers that opt for long-wave paths, including some radar manufacturers.”

▪︎ Lin Shaofeng, Technical Director of Sanyou Optoelectronics

Automotive sensors come in a wide variety, and the traditional power chain is still dominated by overseas companies such as Infineon. Domestic sensor manufacturers such as Zhaizhu Electronics are among the earliest integrated circuit design companies targeting automotive electronics, dedicated to providing complete automotive-grade chip solutions. Many of the company’s sensor products directly compete with foreign enterprises in the traditional power chain.

“The domestic chip industry still has a gap of 2 to 3 years while following foreign companies. However, the trend towards electrification in vehicles presents opportunities for the domestic chip industry. The increase in sales of new energy vehicles has caused a shrinkage in the traditional automotive sensor market, but domestic chip companies can fill this gap by exploring new markets in niche areas. Additionally, the development of electrification has increased the demand for product functional safety and technology iteration, providing development opportunities for the domestic chip industry,” said Li Zhenchao, head of the product division at Zhaizhu Electronics. “Zhaizhu Electronics’ sensor chips mainly focus on gear sensors, position sensors, and current sensors, and our products are primarily targeted at automotive-grade fields, having already entered some leading Tier 1 manufacturers and are applied in domestic independent brand vehicles such as SAIC, BYD, Geely, Great Wall, and Changan.”

▪︎ Li Zhenchao, head of the product division at Zhaizhu Electronics

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Misi Technology introduced its unique minimally invasive surgical process during the exhibition. Minimally invasive surgery originally means making a small incision on the surface of the body and then inserting medical instruments into the body through a catheter for surgery, which makes it easier to suture the incision and shortens the recovery period. We first create some tiny micropores on the front of the silicon wafer, allowing the etching solution to enter the silicon wafer through these micropores to create a larger cavity, and then seal the micropores, similar to suturing a wound in medicine. After sealing, a vacuum cavity is formed inside the chip, and a pressure sensor is then created based on this vacuum cavity.

Ni Zao, General Manager of Misi Technology, explained: “Compared to traditional processes, Misi Technology’s pressure sensor membrane can be made very thin and can be precisely controlled. For pressure sensors, a thinner membrane means that the chip can also shrink in size. Misi Technology’s pressure sensor membrane can reach five to six micrometers, and our latest technology TUB function can even control it to around 2 micrometers, far below the general thickness of ten micrometers of peers, so our chip area is also much smaller than that of our peers.”

“Pressure sensors are the highest value category among automotive sensors, and Misi Technology has already laid out in areas such as BPS and massage seats. Additionally, the company’s pressure sensors, due to their small size, are particularly suitable for measuring intracranial pressure and extracting pulse information in medical fields,” Ni Zao added.

▪︎ Ni Zao, General Manager of Misi Technology

The development of sensors in the smart living field is multifaceted, becoming increasingly precise, multifunctional, and intelligent to meet the growing demand for smart devices and systems, significantly enriching and facilitating our daily lives.

Bosch recently launched two new sensor products: one is the industry’s smallest three-axis accelerometer BMA530 and BMA580, primarily used in wearable pedometers and bone conduction headphones; the other is a six-axis smart sensor BHI380, which can place eight nodes throughout the body, enabling rich potential uses in fitness and rehabilitation scenarios.

Liu Tianmu, Market and Business Development Director of Bosch Sensortec GmbH in China, stated: “In addition to the launch of these two new products, Bosch also showcased other core products at the exhibition, including optical measurement sensors for PM2.5, four-in-one environmental sensors, AI algorithm platform tools, waterproof pressure sensors, etc. Bosch’s advantages lie not only in the devices themselves but also in system-level solutions and software algorithm empowerment, such as AI self-learning capabilities, providing customers with many new experiences. Bosch sensors are at the forefront of technology and innovation, offering novel solutions through improved devices, system-level approaches, and software algorithms.”

▪︎ Liu Tianmu, Market and Business Development Director of Bosch Sensortec GmbH in China

Infineon participated in the Shenzhen International Sensor and Application Technology Exhibition, showcasing its IoT-related sensors and application solutions developed based on these sensor chips. The company provides a comprehensive solution for customers in the IoT field, including sensors, computing platforms, networking technologies, and cloud technologies, and has built an ecosystem in collaboration with partners.

Wang Jinzhu, Director of Partner and Ecosystem Management for Infineon’s Consumer, Computing, and Communications Business in Greater China, stated: “Smart health and smart home are very important application areas for Infineon’s sensors. Infineon has a rich layout in this field, and the products we provide, such as millimeter-wave radar, 3D cameras, carbon dioxide sensors, and silicon microphones, can achieve various solutions in smart health and smart home, providing functions such as presence detection, fall detection, and monitoring breathing and heart rate during sleep. Currently, the company’s sensor products have a high market share in smart TVs, smart air conditioners, smart toilets, etc.”

▪︎ Wang Jinzhu, Director of Partner and Ecosystem Management for Infineon’s Consumer, Computing, and Communications Business in Greater China

Huiwen Technology is a company engaged in the research, development, production, and sales of smart sensors, while also providing artificial olfaction and pressure sensing solutions. The company has established production lines for various types of sensors, including MEMS gas sensors, thermoelectric pile sensors, flexible pressure sensors, infrared CO2 sensor modules, and laser PM2.5 sensors, achieving mass production. At this exhibition, Huiwen Technology’s sensor products cover application fields such as energy storage, fire detection, smart cities, consumer electronics, and smart homes.

Wang Shengli, Deputy General Manager of Huiwen Technology, stated: “Huiwen Technology’s MEMS gas sensors have advantages such as small size and low power consumption, can be mounted on chips, and can be intelligently integrated; our independently developed flexible thin-film pressure sensors have characteristics such as good flexibility, long lifespan, and bendability; our independently developed laser modules have high precision, good anti-interference ability, and good selectivity, fully complying with new national standards. Huiwen Technology has participated in four national Ministry of Science and Technology projects, one of which involves the research and development of artificial intelligence chips, reflecting the company’s achievements in artificial olfaction. The company will continue to increase its investment in research and development in artificial intelligence.”

▪︎ Wang Shengli, Deputy General Manager of Huiwen Technology

There are numerous types of sensors, and many manufacturers showcased their millimeter-wave radar solutions at this exhibition. Millimeter-wave radar is mostly used in automotive or industrial applications but has gradually become popular in smart homes and consumer electronics in recent years due to the innovative capabilities of components. Chip and module sensor manufacturers, including Silan Micro, are driving the civilian and large-scale application of millimeter-wave technology.

Xu Hongtao, Chairman of Silan Micro, stated: “Millimeter-wave sensors play an important role in human presence detection and trajectory tracking, achieving intelligent interaction. Silan Micro has achieved significant performance indicators such as reduced power consumption, enhanced detection capabilities, cost reduction, and size innovation through innovative capabilities and technological breakthroughs, meeting the demands of consumer smart devices. With the development of the millimeter-wave radar industry, the National Radio Administration continuously updates frequency band regulations, introducing new compliance standards for millimeter-wave products, which will provide compliance guidance for bringing millimeter-wave products to market.”

▪︎ Xu Hongtao, Chairman of Silan Micro

Zhenghe Micro is a company dedicated to developing millimeter-wave radar sensor chips. Its innovative technology gives products advantages in performance and power consumption, simplifying the complexity of smart home application solutions, and can be used in standalone sensors and embedded devices for interaction and upgrades with home appliances and electronic products.

Pan Pan, Founder of Zhenghe Micro, stated: “Millimeter-wave radar has advantages such as high detection accuracy, environmental adaptability, and user privacy protection in smart homes, but it still faces challenges in terms of popularity and user experience. The 60G frequency millimeter-wave radar products launched by Zhenghe Micro meet user needs while addressing the challenges of user usage through low power consumption, high integration, and outstanding RF indicators.”

▪︎ Pan Pan, Founder of Zhenghe Micro

Interactive media utilizes modern technology for communication between people and objects, applied in advertising, exhibitions, conferences, and more. Sensor artists creatively use pressure sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, and other sensors to transform them into interesting works of art. DF Robot’s Senior Engineer Xia Qing shared artist Zhang Qiwei’s interactive water ripple work, demonstrating the interaction between humans and the environment.

Xia Qing explained: “This work uses millimeter-wave radar technology, where the appearance and disappearance of water ripples indicate human presence and environmental changes. People affect the environment, and this artistic form presents his ideas. The main control is based on LattePanda, an X86 architecture development board using Intel’s high-performance, low-power N5105 chip, which also has an Arduino Leonardo microcontroller built-in, allowing various sensor modules to be expanded. With this chip, the sensor can be directly connected to this development board, unlike other X86 industrial computers that require a data acquisition card.”

▪︎ Xia Qing, Senior Engineer of DF Robot

The integration of IoT communication and sensors is a key factor in achieving IoT. IoT communication technology can transmit data collected by sensors to other devices or cloud servers for further processing and analysis. The combination of sensors and IoT communication technology can realize various innovative applications. The advancement of IoT communication technology is reflected not only in the continuous improvement of network coverage capabilities but also in the emergence and application of new technologies, which are driving the rapid development of the IoT industry.

Wide-area IoT communication protocol (WloTa) is a communication protocol optimized for wide-area wireless IoT communication, focusing on deep optimization for large coverage, low power consumption, massive connections, and low-cost applications, addressing many pain points in the IoT industry. Yuxin Micro is an innovative enterprise aimed at the billion-level smart IoT market, and WloTa is one of its strategic platforms.

In the IoT market, WloTa technology is in the stage of large-scale application promotion. WloTa is widely applicable, almost suitable for all LPWAN application scenarios. Li Mingdong, Vice President of Yuxin Micro, stated: “WloTa technology has excellent wall penetration, covering signals at least within 600 meters, widely applied in scenarios such as metering, smart city streetlight management control, and wireless lighting control, while also combining sensor applications in smart factories, expanding workstation management, warehousing transportation, and food traceability.”

▪︎ Li Mingdong, Vice President of Yuxin Micro

Low-rate, low-power, wide-coverage communication technology has become key to the widespread application of IoT, giving rise to LPWAN technology. Currently, mainstream LPWAN technologies include NB-IoT, LoRa, LTE-M, and SigFox. However, the reality is much more complex than expected, and the changing international situation necessitates the emergence of a self-controllable communication system in China’s IoT communication field.

Self-controllable underlying technology is extremely important for national industrial development. When Techxiang Technology was established, it aimed to create a 100% domestically produced IoT communication technology and communication system for the IoT industry. Focusing on the underlying communication technology of IoT, it has developed an entirely self-developed wireless narrowband IoT communication system—TPUNB (Techphant Ultra Narrow Band)—to build a complete IoT perception system, providing complete IoT solutions and project construction for various vertical industries.

Zhang Sheng, Sales Director of Techxiang Technology, stated: “The company’s regional and local IoT business mainly includes government and large B2B clients, providing services to build city-level IoT private networks; the energy business serves national-level urban lifeline industries such as power grids, water supply, and gas; the product division provides self-developed communication products, chips, modules, and gateways, serving the entire IoT industry, and will also provide lightweight customization for customers.”

▪︎ Zhang Sheng, Sales Director of Techxiang Technology

The development and application of sensor technology not only promote the digital transformation of industries but also provide society with smarter, more efficient, and sustainable development paths. With continuous technological advancements and the improvement of the industrial ecosystem, sensors will play an increasingly important role in the future intelligent society. From industrial automation to automotive intelligence, from smart cities to smart living, sensors are becoming the critical link connecting the real world and the digital world, empowering various industries and leading innovative development.

Note: The cover image of this article comes from Shetu Network, self-made by the author, and public media materials, all authorized.

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